Preschool Pre-service Teachers' Understanding of Human Internal Organs: An Investigation through the Lens of Mental Models

This study aimed to investigate preschool pre-service teachers’ mental models related to the internal organs of the human body. The research sample consisted of 141 preschool pre-service teachers enrolled in the 1st through 4th of a state university in Turkey. The participants were selected using a convenience sampling method. Two data collection instruments were used: an Interview Form and a Drawing Form. Given the use of both qualitative and quantitative data, a mixed-methods approach was adopted. Interpretive content analysis was employed to examine the qualitative data, while descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were applied to analyze the quantitative data. The findings revealed that most teacher candidates possessed adequate mental models of the internal organs, although some held misconceptions regarding their shapes, locations, and functions. While no significant differences were found in mental models based on gender, a notable variation was observed across grade levels.